The Sleepless Dreamer
by Kiwiprince
Summary: This story is about Regulus Black. It tells how he retrieved the locket of Salazar Slytherin and everything he did afterwards up until the moment of his supposed death.
1. The beggining of the End

**_A/N: This is my second attempt at writing a Harry Potter fic. I deleted the first because I really didn't like it and neither did anyone else who read it. I hope I have done it better this time. Please read and review._**

_To the Dark Lord_

_I know that I will be long dead before you read this_

_But I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

_I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,_

_You will be mortal once more_

_R.A.B_

Regulus Arcturus Black sighed in relief as he finished writing the note that he knew would be read by Voldemort in many years time. It had taken a while to write since he was surrounded with darkness, the only light being the pale green which was radiating from the golden locket he was holding.

Suddenly, Regulus felt a small, rough hand tug at his long, shaggy black hair.

"Water…" a weak voice groaned at him.

Regulus looked down to see his family's house elf Kreacher who was groaning in pain and muttering the word 'water', again and again. Regulus looked for the large, crystal goblet that he had conjured.

When he found it, he held his wand up to the tip and said confidently, "Aguamenti!" Regulus frowned when he saw that though water appeared in the cup, it vanished as soon as he tried to give it to Kreacher to drink. "Aguamenti!" Regulus said again, this time speaking more clearly. Again the goblet filled with water and again that water disappeared as soon as he tried to let Kreacher drink it.

"Kreacher needs water…" Kreacher muttered more urgently then before.

Regulus, hearing the urgency in Kreacher's tone looked desperately for a way to get some water. Seeing no other way, Regulus plunged the goblet into the icy cold water that he had crossed in a boat on the way to the Horcrux. This time, the water did not disappear and Kreacher drank deeply.

"Master is a filthy blood traitor!" Kreacher said in disgust.

Regulus gave a grim smile. That meant that Kreacher was back to normal – well at least as normal as he had even been. Regulus went back to the task at hand as he put the locket he was holding on the ground gently and then pointing his wand at it he shouted, "Replicas!"

A thin beam of blue shot out from the wand and enveloped the Horcrux. A split-second later, another locket appeared next to the first, almost exactly the same. Regulus carefully folded the note that he had written and placed it within the second locket. Then he put that locket within the stone basin and cast another spell to refill the basin with the potion that Kreacher had just drunk. Just as he was turning around to leave, Regulus had an idea. He pointed his wand at the stone basin and cast a spell to make it radiate the same green light that the Horcrux was radiating.

"Pick up the Horcrux Kreacher, we are leaving!" Regulus said to Kreacher.

Kreacher glared at Regulus for a minute before picking up the Horcrux. "Master will not live much longer if the dark lord finds out what he's done…"

"Get in the boat Kreacher!" Regulus said. "And you're forbidden to tell anyone about what has happened here today!"

"Master is a..." Regulus didn't get to find out exactly what Kreacher thought he was as at that moment a pale grey hand grasped the edge of the boat, making it tip a little too far towards the right.

"Inferi!" Regulus yelled.

Kreacher moaned. "No, no, no, not inferi... Kreacher hates inferi..."

Regulus pointed his wand at the pale hand. "Incendio!" Bright red flames leapt up onto the hand and it promptly dropped off the boat. The boat itself kept moving forward, oblivious to the occupants and their plight.

Regulus was kept busy, burning any inferi that climbed their way onto the boat but after a while it became clear that there was far too many for him to handle.

"Abandon ship!" Regulus shouted as he leapt into the icy cold water.

Kreacher didn't move an inch towards the water and Regulus stared angrily at him. "Get over here now Kreacher!" Regulus yelled. Kreacher showed visible signs that he was trying to disobey Regulus's order but he was bound by magic to do whatever his master ordered him to do. Kreacher leapt into the water and hastily followed Regulus who was swimming as fast as he could, trying to escape the grasp of the inferi behind him.

Suddenly, Regulus felt a sharp pain shoot through his leg and he yelled, pointing his wand into the water and nonverbally casting Incendio. Unfortunately for him, the fire spell didn't work under water and the inferius that had bitten into his leg held on tight.

"Get it off of me!" Regulus yelled.

Kreacher struggled but once again he found himself unable to disobey Regulus's command. He dived under water and grabbed onto the inferius, tugging with all his strength to pull it away from his master. Finally the inferi dropped away from Regulus and started on the house-elf instead. Kreacher moved hurriedly through the water, trying to get away from the inferi but as he quickly found out, they swam much quicker then him under water.

Just as an inferius tried to take a bite out of Kreacher, Kreacher felt himself being magically tugged out of the water.

Regulus had used Wingardium Leviosa to raise Kreacher into the air and was now guiding him to the shore. The inferi were keeping away from him as Regulus had conjured a brightly burning fire out of thin air.

"We did well," Regulus said quietly as he tried to heal the gaping wound that the inferius had ripped in his leg.

"Won't be long now and then master will be dead!" Kreacher said to himself with an ugly looking smile.

Regulus wanted to tell Kreacher to shut up but he knew that the house-elf was right. He was not having much luck healing his leg and even if he did eventually manage to fix it there was the Dark Lord to consider. He would have noticed by now that Regulus had not been following orders like he was supposed to. Fortunately, Regulus was a highly skilled at occlumency so he could hide what he had been doing from his master.

"Give me a hand Kreacher," Regulus said to Kreacher who grudgingly ambled over to him and helped him to his feet.

Regulus stood still for a moment, trying to clear his head. He knew that he would have to keep a constant barrio of fire around him ad Kreacher to keep the inferi away but he had never paid any attention in school and as such only knew a few simple spells and a bit of dark magic. His only real choice was to continuously cast Incendio to keep the inferi away.

"Kreacher…" Regulus said weakly as they came upon the fake wall.

Kreacher understood and placed his hand on Regulus's wound with a little too much pressure, covering it in blood and then rubbing it into the wall which promptly disappeared. The two of them made their way slowly out of the cave until they were far enough to apparate. With a loud crack, they were gone, leaving little evidence that they had even been there in the first place.


	2. Remembering the Past

_**A/N: Finally I have mustered up the energy to update this story. Please take the time to review as it will make me more eager to update the story. Even if your review is bad I will still appreciate it as long as it has constructive criticism for making my fic better.**_

Regulus opened his eyes to find that he was standing next to a tall sign post with the words Grimmauld Place inscribed on it. It wasn't exactly where he had aimed to be but it was close enough and there most likely wasn't much time left before the Dark Lord came after him.

"Kreacher!" Regulus yelled. He swept his eyes across the road looking for Kreacher but he some how knew that Kreacher had abandoned him. "Blasted house-elf!" Regulus muttered angrily under his breath as he limped along the footpath. Even though the street lamps were all lit it was such a dark night that none of the muggles looking out of their windows would have been able to see him. Not that Regulus cared whether they saw him or not. It was highly likely that he would be dead mere hours from now but as long as he accomplished what needed to be done then he would be able to rest in peace.

After a few minutes of limping he stopped, seemingly deciding he had reached the right place. Just to check, he gazed first to his left and saw Number 10 on the letterbox. He looked to his right and saw Number 13 on the letterbox. He laughed. His father had placed so many anti-muggle and protection enchantments on the house that it would have seemed obssessive to most people. Regulus would normally have agreed with them (although he would never have said it out loud when his parents were alive) but on this case he was thankful. It wouldn't be enough to hide him from the Dark Lord but it would give him enough time to get his strength back up.

Regulus stared in between the two houses and focused on the image of a third house appearing in the middle. Suddenly both Number 11 and Number 13 were pushed unceremoniously to the side and a third house leapt out of the ground with the number 12 inscribed on the front door. Regulus limped down the path up to the door and when he reached it he knocked loudly.

"**Declare your self!"** a loud voice boomed, seemingly from the door itself.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, son of Orion Black."

The front door creaked ominously as it gradually swung open to make way for Regulus who slowly made his way to the first floor lounge (others might call it a living/sitting room). Spotting a weirdly coloured maroon couch he made his way over to it, sinking into its fluffy depths. Regulus laid on the couch for almost an hour before an uneasy sleep forced his mind to flash between the troubled memories that made up his life.

"_Ah, you must be the talented young man I have been hearing so much about," said a man whose face was hidden by a black hood._

_Regulus took one glance at him and knew at once that it was one of the men who served the one now known as Voldemort. Regulus' eyes gazed quickly around the room settling for a minuscule moment on the bartender who looked grizzly and smelled somewhat of goat. Satisfied that no-one was paying any attention he turned to the man in the hood and said, "Who are you and what do you want?"_

"_Now, now," the man in the hood said bemusedly. "You wouldn't want to go and upset one of the dark lord's followers now would you?"_

_Regulus thought for a moment. Did he want to infuriate the dark lord? Siding with him might even earn his fathers respect which was a rare thing to have. Still… was it worth it? "What does **he** want with me?"_

"_Oh I think you know very well Regulus."_

_Regulus felt a little shocked that despite being incredibly cautious about that sort of information, the man sitting across the table from him knew his name. Unfortunately he was unable to hide his shock._

"_Surprised?" The hooded man asked. "Then perhaps you are not as worthy as the Dark Lord seems to think."_

"_You didn't answer my question," Regulus said._

"_Do you think** he** hasn't heard the reports of muggles throughout London being brutalised by a man with shaggy black hair? In many of these stories this man changes into a vicious wolf and rips out the throats of its victims. They are such curious circumstances to be just random acts of destruction are they not?"_

_Regulus frowned. He never had any sympathy for muggles although he wasn't exactly proud of his actions towards them. After he had left Hogwarts he had studied the dark arts for a few years under another wizard who wore a black hood. Regulus had never found out the man's true name; instead he knew him as The Half Blood Prince. That man had had a somewhat worrying hatred of muggles and some of that had been passed on to Regulus so after he had learned much of what needed to be learned he started attacking muggles which made ministry officials to put a price on his head (he found that out after a near death experience when an auror decided to go after the bounty)._

"_Fine," Regulus said. "I see what **he** wants with me but is he aware that I was not able to learn much of the basic magic taught in Hogwarts?"_

"_The Dark Lord is aware of much that he does not speak of," the hooded man said. "I trust that if he wants you to join him then there is a good reason."_

_Regulus said nothing so the man continued. "So, what is your decision?"_

_Regulus remained silent for a while, contemplating the effect it would have on his life. He couldn't possibly do this could he? Attacking a muggle every now and then might be fun but joining the Dark Lord and opening the way to scourge the world of all non magical beings? No! It was a bad idea._

_Suddenly the door to the bar slammed open and another man with a similar appearance to Regulus strode in._

"_What the hell do you think you're doing!" He demanded. "I would have thought that even you would be aware that this man here is a death eater!"_

_Regulus glared at his brother. "You always did like to interrupt didn't you Sirius?"_

_Sirius grabbed his brother by the scruff of his neck._

"_Look! I wouldn't be here at all if Dumbledore didn't order me but –"_

"_Still taking orders from our headmaster then?" Regulus said with a grim laugh._

"_That's beside the point!" Sirius said angrily. "Siding with Voldemort is not in anyone's best interests no matter what rubbish they tell you!"_

"_Really?" Regulus said. "I was of the opinion that it would benefit us pure bloods nicely."_

"_We have had our disagreements before but if you do this then the next time we meet I will be forced to kill you!" Sirius said._

_Regulus turned to the death eater and said, "I'm in!"_

_Sirius glared at Regulus and for a moment he looked as if he would like nothing more then to attack Regulus right there. But then he thought better of it and with a loud crack he was gone._


	3. Horcrux

**_A/N: Thanks a lot to all who have reviewed so far,(except for one person who was outright flaming my fic and while I think its good if I get some constructive criticism when needed I really doubt flaming was necessary). Also I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update but I've been busy what with the external exams coming up in 3 weeks. Anyways please take the time to place a review and if you are confused about anything after you have read it then don't hesitate to ask in a review because as long as it isn't something I left out on purpose then I will explain it. )_**

Regulus was woken roughly from his dream as a sharp pain shot through his left arm.

"Dammit!" Regulus yelled. The Dark Lord was calling for him already. That meant that the Dark Lord knew of his betrayal, most likely because Kreacher had told Bellatrix everything that he was not forbidden to speak about. For some reason, Kreacher had more respect for Bellatrix then any of the directly descended living members of the Black family. Bellatrix would of course have run off to her master and told him everything she could. The one good thing was that Kreacher could say nothing of the true extent of Regulus's betrayal. It was also a good thing that the Dark Lord had kept his death eaters in the dark about the Horcrux or else Bellatrix would have recognised the locket hanging around Kreachers neck. As it was, she probably would have thought it just another or Kreachers crazy habits. As he thought about this his mind was gradually pushed upon another subject – how he found out about the Horcrux in the first place.

"_Ah," the Dark Lord said, sighing in satisfaction as he fingered the locket of Salazar Slytherin. "I have gone further along the path of immortality then any other Nagini," he said, speaking this time in parsletongue as he let his snake Nagini curl itself around his legs._

_Regulus felt a shiver run through his spine as a breath of cold wind blew through the graveyard. The Dark Lord would most likely be able to see through his disguise and then it would all be over. But then, a gravestone in the middle of a graveyard wasn't very conspicuous though and besides, the Dark Lord looked to be absolutely jubilant. That didn't exactly make Regulus feel better but at least he wouldn't be noticed._

"_Horcruxio!" the Dark Lord articulated, placing an extreme amount of tension on every syllable of the word. A bright green light shot out of his wand and entered the locket. Everything was still for a moment and then a large beam of the same green light shot out from the locket and covered the Dark Lords face._

_The Dark Lord's face expressed excruciating pain but not a sound came from his mouth. Meanwhile the green light from the locket was beginning to pull itself away from the Dark Lords face dragging something with it. As Regulus watched in horror he saw that it was a ghastly green copy of the Dark Lord. He would have dismissed it as some new sort of dark magic that his master was creating to ensure his reign of terror continued but then the Dark Lord never bothered creating new spells. As far as he was concerned he needed only one spell, the one that took lives. What was happening now was beyond Regulus until he remembered something he had learned a long time ago under the tutelage of a dark wizard going by the name of Grindelwald. Regulus remembered the dark wizard's words as if he had heard them just yesterday._

"_The first thing you should learn is that there are ways to protect yourself from every disease and ailment that is known to wizard kind," an old wizard with a gnarly looking face said speaking so quietly it was almost a whisper._

"_Even death?" Regulus asked._

"_Even death," Grindelwald said._

"_But how?" Regulus asked._

"_There is an ancient magic so terrible that few would dare to use it and many of those who have spend the rest of their cursed lives regretting the stupidity of what they have done."_

_Regulus listened in silence, this teacher was not like the ones he had learned from at school and rivalled the half-blood prince as his new favourite._

"_Have you heard of a Horcrux boy?"_

"_No," Regulus said._

_Grindelwald sighed. "When you take a life in cold-blood it tears your soul in two. A Horcrux is the result of using ancient magic to separate the torn soul from the body and sealing it inside an inanimate object. The Horcrux allows its creator to stay alive but at a price. Its creator will live only a part life, unable to fully appreciate life the way it is meant to be."_

"_You made one yourself didn't you?" Regulus said in a tone that suggested he was not asking a question but telling a fact._

"_You're a sharp boy Regulus," Grindelwald said as he fingered a small amulet which hung around his neck. It was solid gold and had a lion emblazoned in the middle. "It was all that prevented Dumbledore from killing me all those years ago. Of course, he does not know that I still live."_

"_Do you not want revenge on Dumbledore?" Regulus asked._

"_No," Grindelwald said. "I should have died 40 years ago, in my foolish youth I made the Horcrux I have been regretting for so long."_

"_You regret being alive?" Regulus asked, sounding confused._

"_In a way, yes I do," Grindelwald said. Silence filled the cave and made the atmosphere seem eerie until Grindelwald broke it by speaking again. "Many years ago, I killed the last direct descendant of one Godric Gryffindor, taking his relished family heirloom for my own. That is when Dumbledore got on my case. He 'killed' me within several years of that event. During that time, my fear got the best of me and I created this," he said, fingering the amulet which Regulus noticed for the first time was glowing green "Learn from my mistakes boy, never create a Horcrux no matter what path your life takes you down. The cursed existence you receive in return will be like a living hell."_

_He's creating a Horcrux, Regulus thought to himself. But how did **he** know and if he is so faithful to the Dark Lord then why did **he **want me to find out?_

_Those thoughts in mind, Regulus watched as a fragment of the Dark Lords soul broke away from his body and let itself get sucked into the locket. That was when Regulus decided. There was no other option; he would have to destroy the Horcrux. But how? If Grindelwald was any indication, the Dark Lord would keep the locket by his side day and night._

"_Amarusque Amare!" The locket shot into the air and flew off towards the sea. With a loud cracking pop, both the Dark Lord and his snake vanished._

_Regulus untransfigured himself and stared for a while at the space where the Dark Lord had been standing mere seconds before. With a quick glance he saw that the locket was barely visible in the distance and decided to follow it and find out where the Dark Lord was planning to hide it._

Another sharp pain shot through his arm, rousing him from his thoughts. He jumped to his feet and immediately fell back onto the couch as another stab of pain, this time from his leg, shot through his body. Regulus gazed down upon it and felt a wave or nausea wash over him as he caught sight of the gaping hole in his leg. There wasn't nearly as much blood seeping out of the wound anymore but that wasn't necessarily a good thing as the reason for it was the lack of blood in Regulus's body.

Regulus's eyes followed the path he had taken to get to the lounge of the house and noticed a trail of blood that seemed to lead all the way to the hall and Regulus was reasonably certain that it would continue on out to the corner of the street of which he had arrived.

There were ways to conceal the blood but there wasn't enough time to worry about it. Regulus stared down at his leg and feeling yet another stab of pain yelled out angrily, "KREACHER!"

Regulus heard a loud crackling pop and then saw the wretched house elf appear in front of him. Kreacher didn't look at all happy to see him.

"Master is a filthy little blood traitor," Kreacher muttered under his breath.

"I'm not exactly fond of you either," Regulus said, "But I can't do anything with my leg like this. Get _him_ for me Kreacher."

Kreacher stared at Regulus for a moment. "No… no don't make Kreacher go to _him_, anything but _him_," Kreacher begged.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Kreacher would rather let master die then get him the blood crystal," Kreacher muttered, apparently convinced that Regulus couldn't hear him.

"Of course," Regulus said. "Bring the blood crystal to me Kreacher."

The blood crystal was not just any old crystal. It was a crystal infused with the blood of all the ancestors of the Black family. Holding the crystal over a wound would draw the blood out, causing it to harden and seal the wound. It wasn't painless but it was the only option left to him.

"Arghh!" Regulus moaned as an incredibly painful burst of pain shot through his entire body. This pain was not exactly physical though it hurt as if it was. In reality, the magic of the crystal was having a negative effect on his mind. Regulus knew that it wouldn't end until the blood crystal finished its job so he held the crystal firmly over his wound, wincing loudly as it began to complete its task.

Kreacher took advantage of Regulus's momentary distraction to try and skulk away but Regulus was prepared for it.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Regulus yelled, grasping his wand from the pocket of his robes.

Kreacher dropped heavily to the ground making a loud, dull thudding sound. "Don't even think about it!"

Kreacher glared at Regulus with every ounce of hatred he possessed but Regulus took no notice. He was too busy paying attention to the crystal which was now making a high pitched squeaking sound. A mere second later it stopped and blood crystal went limp in Regulus's hand. Regulus stared in disbelief at his wound, unable to comprehend the fact that it had finally stopped bleeding. It wasn't exactly pretty but the blood crystal had done what it was supposed to meaning that Regulus would be unhindered as he set about the task that would help bring about the Dark Lords death. Regulus hobbled over to Kreacher and pulled the Horcrux from around his neck. Another wave of nausea swept through him and he hastily dropped the Horcrux to the ground. Apparently it wasn't healthy to be holding any part of a soul as evil as the Dark Lord was. Against all the intelligence he possessed, Regulus decided he would have to bring Kreacher with him.


	4. Prophecy

_**A/N: Please review it if you read it. I am starting to get depressed by the minute number of reviews I am getting. Anyways here is the next chapter.**_

"Liberacorpus!" Regulus said as he aimed his wand once more at Kreacher. A thin beam of yellow light shot lightning quick out of his wand and wrapped itself around Kreacher's body. The wretched house-elf rose a few feet into the air before falling back to the ground and landing clumsily on his feet. Hatred shot through his eyes but he said nothing.

"We're going Kreacher," Regulus said "and we are taking the Horcrux with us."

"Kreacher thinks master should keep his filthy hands off the locket of the great Dark Lord," Kreacher said.

"Well that's excellent," Regulus said. A look of confusion glazed over Kreacher's face and Regulus grinned satisfactorily, glad in the knowledge that he was in some way getting a small bit of revenge on the house-elf that had caused him so much trouble recently and would just as soon murder him as look at him. "You're going to be carrying it."

The confusion on Kreacher's face rapidly changed to that of fear and he grovelled at Regulus's feet.

"Please don't make me take it," Kreacher begged.

"Do you have a better idea Kreacher?" Regulus asked.

Kreacher stood still for a moment muttering quietly to himself.

"Master's a stupid little blood traitor, has no idea what he's doing. Even with a hippogriff's brain any other wizard would be able to figure it out." Kreacher stopped for a second before talking again. "If our mistress knew what we was about to do she would turn in her grave, she might even give us clothes."

Kreacher gasped and it was then that Regulus realised that Kreacher was having a conversation with himself. He was seriously struggling not to laugh.

"We can't get clothes," Kreacher said, "Kreacher doesn't want clothes."

Regulus decided this was his queue to interrupt. "She's not your master anymore I am and if you don't tell me what you're talking about then I will give you clothes myself!"

Kreacher glared at Regulus but he wasn't bothered one bit – it was becoming a regular thing for the house-elf to do.

"Why bring the Locket with you at all?" Kreacher said slowly.

"Because it's a part of Voldemort's soul you idiot!" Regulus replied. "I can't leave this lying around just anywhere."

Kreacher looked extremely contemptuous and Regulus wondered if he was going to continue speaking at all. However, the fear of clothes seemed to be enough to make Kreacher talk. "Master shouldn't…" Kreacher began to speak but suddenly his voice changed to sound hoarse and even more hostile then it had before. Regulus knew something was up when Kreachers eyes began to glow. It was only when a green light enveloped Kreacher that Regulus noticed the Horcrux hanging around the house-elfs neck. How Kreacher had managed to pick it up again without him noticing eluded him but his curiosity as to what Kreacher was saying overrode that of his desire to learn what Kreacher was doing with the Horcrux.

"_The one who destroys the Horcrux will receive a punishment worse then death when the Dark Lord seeks retribution . . . He will become the sleepless dreamer, trapped forever in a living death. . . kept alive by dearest of friends . . . freed only by those he would hate most. . . the time for the fall of the Dark Lord approaches. . ."_

Regulus stared at Kreacher for a moment, oblivious to the importance of what he had just heard. Then it all hit him. . . he would have to destroy the Horcrux, here and now. It was the only way to set in motion the events that would lead to the Dark Lords down fall. Regulus reached down and pulled the locket from Kreacher's neck. Once again a strong wave of nausea washed over him but this time he had no choice and held on firmly to the Horcrux. After a few seconds, the nausea disappeared and Regulus was able to hold onto it without suffering any other effect. He held his wand out towards the locket and said the first curse that entered his mind.

"Reducto!"

A blast of red light shot out of his wand and hit the locket square in its centre but aside from the extra light in the room, nothing happened. Regulus thought for a moment before trying again.

"Crucio!"

The locket floated a little higher into the air as if struggling to get away from Regulus but there was no other effect. Regulus ceased what he was doing and immediately the locket went limp. Regulus thought for longer this time before he finally decided. He had never been able to successfully pull off a killing curse powerful enough to actually kill anybody but there was nothing else that stood a chance against magic as powerful as the Horcrux.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The room was suddenly full of green light and Regulus felt the Horcrux struggle even harder against this curse. Unfortunately it didn't achieve the required effect and Regulus was left to wonder why.

"_Foolish boy," the half blood prince said. "The incantation is not enough for you to kill anyone."_

_Regulus stared up at his mentor. "What should I do then?"_

"_Using an unforgivable curse means you have to want to cause pain," the half blood prince explained. "You have to want to kill someone. It cannot be done from mere hatred alone. Watch me one more time."_

_The half blood prince withdrew his wand and pointed it at a shadowy dog-like creature in a cage. Its head was hanging out with drool dripping from its mouth._

"_Avada Kedavra!" _

_Green light flashed through the shack and Regulus could feel the horrible vibe in the air which let him know the beast was dead. Sure enough, as soon as his eyes adjusted to the sudden burst of light he saw the beast's head drooped on the floor._

Regulus sighed in relief. If that was all he had to do then it was going to be easy. He gazed at the locket and thought of all the horrible things the Dark Lord had done, all the horrible things he was going to do and all of the people he had killed. Suddenly he felt a strong burst of hatred rise inside of him and he wanted to cause the locket as much pain as possible.

**_A/N: Oh yeah this is the authors note. Right in the middle of the chapter and I put it here because I can. Also just to say that it isn't that weird that a house-elf can make a prophecy. _**

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A strong green light burst through the room and the locket let out a screeching scream forcing Regulus to throw it to the ground. Regulus watched in amazement as a wretched green face was pulled unwillingly from the Horcrux. The screaming grew louder and louder until finally it reached an undisputable peak and Regulus could take it no longer. He pointed his wand at the face and only then did he notice that it was the face of the Dark Lord. Regulus almost dropped his wand as he hurried to aim it at the face. "Avada Kedavra!"

The face shattered into a few million pieces and the room suddenly seemed to be shrouded in green. Regulus warily picked the locket and tried to open it and find out what was inside. Unfortunately, the killing curse had melded the locket shut. Regulus threw the locket into one of the many cabinets of the house and then walked over to Kreacher. He was just about to give the house-elf a kick in the head for not telling him sooner when he realised that even through all that had happened, it was because of Kreacher that he had an idea of what he was up against. That meant that he would have a chance to change things. Instead, Regulus picked the house-elf up and dragged him to the boiler room.

"This is where you have to live from now on Kreacher," Regulus said. "I feel I may be acting too kind to let you live you treacherous house-elf but I am no murderer and will not kill you without good reason."

Kreacher was unconscious but Regulus could tell by the twitching of the house-elfs ears that the magic that bound the house-elf to his master would do its stuff.

Regulus unceremoniously threw Kreacher into the boiler room and after another sharp jab of pain began what he knew would likely be the last journey he would ever make – the one to face the Dark Lord.


	5. Sleepless Dreamer

**_This is the final chapter. I have enjoyed writing it although I am a little depressed that barely anyone has reviewed this. I will say this though, the day this fic gets over 30 reviews is the day I will consider writing a sequel so if you have enjoyed reading this then please review. Cheers everyone thats me for the day. )_**

The second that Regulus exited the house he felt the worst pain he had ever felt in his life.

"Argh!" Regulus cried as he dropped to the ground writhing in pain.

"What's the matter Regulus?" a cold cruel voice asked. "Did you think I wouldn't be able to find you here?"

Regulus remained silent. He had been incredibly stupid; of course the Dark Lord would have been waiting for him outside the house. He had made many stupid mistakes that day but Regulus was determined not to do make any more. The Dark Lord might be angry with him but he didn't have any idea what Regulus had been up to and thanks to the half-blood prince's tutelage, Regulus knew how to employ occlumency against the Dark Lord in such a way that he wouldn't even know Regulus was doing it.

"What do you mean my lord?" Regulus asked with all the humbleness he could muster.

"You were given a task to do and instead of loyally fulfilling it as your master requested you decided to run."

For a brief moment, the idea that this was the moment he had been waiting for entered his mind. This was the moment in which he would be able to take care of the Dark Lord once and for all. In his heart, Regulus knew that he wasn't ready and yet in his head it seemed perfect. Too perfect.

"Who are you?"

"I am your master!" the cold cruel voice said.

Regulus thought fast. The Dark Lord didn't know the full extent of his treachery and so wouldn't come after him himself. He would most likely send one of his death eaters to do the job for him, someone he trusted. Why then did it seem that he was standing before him right now?

"No," Regulus said. "You are not my master and neither is the Dark Lord."

It took a few seconds for the impact of what Regulus had said to sink into the mans mind. He swung his cloak like a shadow and as he turned back to face Regulus, Regulus saw who it was and glared in hatred.

"Of course he would send you wouldn't he Serverus?" Regulus said angrily. Of course he had no idea that the man he was speaking to now was one of his former mentors seeing as the Half Blood Prince had never revealed his identity to Regulus and Severus was certainly doing nothing to tie himself to the facade he had used at Hogwarts.

"Yes," Severus said sneering. "He would because unlike you, I am loyal. He trusts me enough allow me to take care of you. I even offered to bring you to him and let him decide what to do with you."

Regulus glared even more heatedly then before. "There's no way I'm going to let you take me to him. Not after everything I've done."

Severus laughed cruelly. "And what have you done Regulus?"

Regulus felt something slip into his mind and attempt to sift through it. Regulus emptied his mind as best he could. Unfortunately, Severus was an extremely skilled legilmens, perhaps even better then the Dark Lord himself and after a while, Regulus stopped struggling. All of a sudden it stopped. If Regulus had been looking at Severus's face he would have seen a look of surprise but he was too busy feeling relieved that his mind was his own again.

When Regulus finally did look up at Severus he saw nothing he wouldn't have expected to see. This seemed to give Regulus strength and he stood up and aimed his wand at Severus.

"Rictusempra!" Regulus cried, forcing a blast of red energy at Severus.

Severus countered it with a lazy flick of his wand. Then he said, "Crucio!"

Immediately an unbearable pain shot through every part of Regulus's body, making the man writhe in pain. Even when Severus stopped the torturing curse that pain lingered in Regulus's body as if it had been a physical pain.

Severus walked slowly over to Regulus's limp, helpless body shaking his head in disappointment. That was the last thing Regulus saw before a wave of green light blasted him full in the chest.

Severus shook his head. He had expected his former apprentice to stay with the Dark Lord. It was obviously the smart thing to do seeing as the Dark Lord was now immortal. But then perhaps it was not so anymore, Severus thought remembering how he had seen in that brief moment, Regulus destroying a Horcrux, Voldemort's no less.

Maybe there was a way to beat the Dark Lord after all. Staring down at his fallen apprentice, Severus decided. He pulled a small vial from his cloak and poured it's contents into Regulus's mouth. Regulus swallowed it greedily even though he was unconscious. Severus allowed a thin smile to wash over his face. Even after getting hit by a half-hearted killing curse Regulus still drank as if it were to be his last drink. In all likely-hood it would be his last drink unless something phenomenal happened to end the Dark Lord's life.

"I'm sorry," Severus said sincerely even though he knew that there was only a slight chance that Regulus could hear him.

Severus found words appeared in his head as if from no where and he knew instantly that Regulus was communicating with him.

_Sorry? Who are you? The real Severus Snape would never admit to something as human as sorrow._

"I am someone who knows you better then you would think," Severus said, not ready to reveal himself as the Half-Blood Prince. "Against all better judgement, I have grown fond of you Regulus Black. I cannot find it within me to kill you but I cannot leave you alive while the Dark Lord still lives."

_Sounds like you have a problem._

"Not at all," Severus said. "I have just fed you the draught of living death."

At this, a painfully loud gasp echoed throughout Severus's head. _Argh why did I think I could trust you at all!_

"Calm yourself Regulus," Severus said quietly. "You are in luck as I happen to be the only wizard alive capable of creating a potion powerful enough to counteract the effects of the Draught of living death."

_I'll believe it when I see it when I see it._

"Very well," Severus said. "Unfortunately, this cannot be done now. It takes several years to brew and in any case, the Dark Lord must be fooled into thinking you are dead."

Regulus remembered the prophecy Kreacher had warned him of and begun to wonder if there was truth in those words. The sleepless dreamer? It would seem that that was what he was about to become.


End file.
